Sam Khalifa

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Sam Khalifa (born December 5, 1963 in Fontana, California), was a Major League Baseball player.

The seventh overall pick in the 1982 June draft, Khalifa did not enjoy a long or successful career. A lack of offensive skill prevented him from playing more than 164 games across three seasons in the majors, most as a shortstop and all as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. His primary historical importance arises from his status as the first person of Egyptian descent to play major league baseball, and also as the first and only Muslim player of Arab descent, making him the Muslim Jackie Robinson. He ended his career with a .219 batting average, a .294 on base percentage, and a .285 slugging percentage.

Khalifa's father, Rashad Khalifa, was murdered on January 31, 1990 by Muslim extremists who disagreed with his interpretations of the Quran.

Khalifa is no longer involved with professional baseball. He currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona.